Entries by Janet

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One Man’s Prostate Cancer Journey

In 2013, Allan Odden was 70, newly retired from a career as a college professor, in good health, walking four miles a day, playing golf and bridge, and ready to enjoy many more years with his wife, Eleanor.  When he went for his yearly physical, his doctor asked if he wanted a PSA test to […]

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Do Older Men Still Need a PSA Test?

I’m in my seventies.  My doctor said I don’t need any more PSA tests because I’m too old to worry about it.  Is that right?  It depends on you and your PSA history.  There are some troubling statistics, which I will get to in a minute.  But first the good news:  If you are in […]

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PSA Velocity:  It’s Not the Number, but What It Does!

Why did I say that no PSA number above 1, by itself, is a guarantee that you don’t have cancer?  Why do we say this in our book? Because that’s what H. Ballentine (Bal) Carter, M.D., the great Johns Hopkins urologist and scientist, discovered.  In fact, he says:  “There is no PSA value below which […]

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Close to Home.  Again.

Why do I write so much about prostate cancer?  Because I can’t get away from it.  And now prostate cancer, never very far away, has hit close to home.  Again. Before I tell you my story, please study this picture.  This is a picture of a miracle.  It’s not a pincushion.  It’s an MRI of […]

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The Spare Tire and Your Risk of Lethal Prostate Cancer

Note: I’m not fat shaming!  I am excited, because here is something you can do to lower your risk of dying of prostate cancer! Fat is flammable.  There’s so much fat in bacon grease, you can use it as a fire starter.   You can also take a can of Crisco, stick a wick in it, […]

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Does Shockwave Therapy Work for ED?

If you’re struggling with ED, you may be wondering whether the latest miracle cure is actually a miracle cure.  You’re right to wonder.  The world of treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED) is complicated; add in emotional stuff like frustration and hope, and it can be even tougher to figure out what to do.  And here’s […]

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The Long, Wet Road: Conquering Incontinence After Prostatectomy

Incontinence after prostatectomy is one of the most feared complications.  The good news is that for nearly all men, it goes away.  For the very small percentage in whom it doesn’t, there is help.  This story is a very strong case in point. In my work for the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s website,  I was lucky […]